Crawling Ahead
by TinyBlackBird
Summary: I wanted to be a trainer bad. I couldn't stand working at the Daycare Center anymore, confined to Goldenrod's city limits. I needed a Pokémon, and fast, but with the economy the way it was and the government's laws, obtaining one wasn't as simple as it used to be. I'm surprised I survived all the waiting with my impatience.
1. What We All Want

Author's Note

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon.

Well, this is my first attempt at a Pokémon fan-fic and I'm hoping to go far with it. Most of the people in this story are going to be based off people I know in real life, so hopefully they won't be turn out to be bland or boring or unoriginal. Many of the events that take place will also be based on real-life ones, but with the Pokémon universe twist.

First off, I know you're not technically supposed to capitalize a Pokémon's name unless it's their nickname (ie. bulbasaur, charmander, squirtle) but I'm gonna do it anyway. Secondly, I've seen debate on whether or not Pokémon can talk with their trainers in human tongue. In this story's world, I'm going to have technology that will let them do that, a translator if you will. The only exceptions to this would be psychics and some ghosts/darks or others who can learn psychic/telepathic moves. Oh, and legends, obviously.

Also, I tried to use the poké-money symbol, but Fanfic wasn't having it. :P

Other than all that...enjoy!

Warning: This story's gonna be rated _T_ due to language and violence. I mean, it shouldn't get _too_ bad, but I just wanna be safe.

* * *

Chapter 1 - What We All Want

"Nah, I'm not really sure what I wanna start out with...definitely a fire-type though..."

My eyes darted across my computer screen, scanning over a long list of available Pokémon being sold at the Department Store this weekend. Goldenrod always had new arrivals for adoption Friday through Sunday, but those Pokémon were usually ones intended to be pets or for Coordinators to train for contests. Sentrets, Pichus, Hoppips, Sunkerns-cutesy Pokémon that weren't exactly what one would call 'fighters'. On occasion, there were ones up for adoption that had potential, something like a Teddiursa, a Pokémon with a fairly powerful evolution.

But those took a lot of work and experience. Handling a Pokémon that wild with that kind of power was for at least semi-experienced trainers...not novices. Plus, I wanted a fire-type...

"Dude, those are expensive as hell." I heard through my earpiece.

"Well, so are your water-types!" Blondie, my friend on the other line, loved her water-types.

"Hey, not _as_ expensive though."

"'Cause no one wants 'em..."

"Who wants something that's going to burn their house down?!"

"Me!" I could practically hear her rolling her eyes.

"Either way, neither of our budgets will get us an element Poke'. We'll probably be stuck with a Rattata or something-a Pidgey if we're lucky..." I sighed in agreement. Pokémon were way overpriced nowadays.

Generally, normal types were the cheapest, along with bugs and common fliers. Some grass too...Rarely were any dragons, psychics, darks, or ghosts sold. At least not in any common town or city. Those rarities were normally caught or bred by experts, entrepreneurs, or the government, and sold or traded in private auctions and events. All of the other types were commonly sold, but at high prices.

The fact that the professors of each region only handed out a limited amount of starters each year-_once_ a year-didn't help the economy much. Well, not for the common folk anyway. Plus, it gave a bunch of newbies over-powered elementals they didn't know what to do with. Note that these were generally the _sixteen_ year-old's who took the hand-outs.

Professors usually handed out rarities-elementals right off the bat! Overpowered ones at that-which was why so few were given, and usually to those who had connections or decided to show up super early. In Johto, our professor was located in New Bark, a small little desolate town where few lived.

Getting to the professor required a roundtrip ticket and some walking, but with my budget and time left to get a Pokémon, I'd be screwed. I'd have enough money-barely-to get a ticket, but it would leave me with little to nothing left for supplies or any kind of necessities at all.

Leaning back into my computer chair in defeat, I stared deadpan at the screen. "I'm really just thinking about getting some pokéballs and wandering around the Wild for a while." At least pokéballs were relatively cheap...

"Yeah, but then you have to get papers on whatever you catch, and then you'll just wind up broke anyway..." I already knew this, but I was starting to get fed up with all of this extensive searching. I had one week left to find a legitimate, registered Pokémon before my trainer's license expired.

For trainers, each newly caught Pokémon had to be registered into a globalized system located in each and every Pokémon Center within three days of the catch or else the Pokémon could be confiscated and released. As a trainer, this was automatically done when getting your Pokémon healed or stored in a PC, so it made the responsibility simpler.

Registering a Pokémon without being a 'real' trainer was very pricey. It was a solution that the government came up with to help prevent abandoned Pokémon by keeping the wannabe trainers from just going out and catching everything in sight and then leaving them to fend for themselves or to rot in their pokéballs. But more importantly it helped 'boost' the economy by forcing people who _weren't_ trainers to have to buy an already registered Pokémon, or have them registered as adopted pets.

It was also an attempt to dwindle down the activity of the Pokémon 'black market'.

New trainers—such as myself—needed to obtain their Starter before their license expired for the first time to avoid having to purchase a new one completely. The first trainer card a newbie got was free, but after that they cost a good $50, enough to stray me away from wanting a new one. This was to prevent non-active trainers from being logged into the global database, which made sense I guessed. Why have a bunch of people who sat stagnant and did nothing with their licenses?

After that first deadline, trainers only had to get their licenses updated at a Pokémon Center every six months, and that was free and only took a matter of seconds.

All of these requirements usually brought people to question why new trainers just didn't go out and catch their starters in the wild, but considering the registration laws, it was just easier to go out and get a Pokémon that already had papers.

Newbies generally didn't search for their starters in the Wild anyway. This was mainly because the Wild was relatively dangerous for newbies, and to have a newbie going out there without any kind of protection? It was just plain stupid, even in the routes nearest to towns and cities. We were lectured well enough on that in school.

It didn't stop every hot-head of a trainer from trying though, and I was tempted to allow my _own_ hot-headedness take the reins and throw common sense out the window.

"Well, I'm at a loss my friend. Everything I'm looking at here is either too pricey, or something I wouldn't wanna train." I grumbled, leaning forward to scroll uselessly through the list of Pokémon again. "I don't get paid for another two weeks, and my license expires in one. At least you still have two weeks left."

"Hey, everything over here in Kanto costs more than in Johto."

"Yeah, but you guys get paid more to compensate for the pricing."

"…So." Now was my turn to roll my eyes. "What about a gift Pokémon?" She questioned, though I shook my head in response, despite her being unable to see it.

"From who? I already told my parents I didn't want them to just hand me one."

"You do have something called a boyfriend, you know."

"One I don't even let pay for my dinner if we happen to go out. You know how I am with money…Plus, he says he's a greedy Jew." His own words…and no, he's not literally a Jew.

"Doesn't mean he wouldn't do it." Leaning back again, I rubbed tiredly at my eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, I know he would. He would. It's just—I wouldn't ask him to. I hate people buying me shit." Which was the truth. I didn't like people spending their hard-earned cash on something for me, especially expensive things. It irritated some people, like my boyfriend, Ryan, who I wouldn't let pay for anything for me unless necessary. We'd actually gotten into a few little arguments about it when we first started dating before he realized there was no changing my mind.

Now, he didn't even really ask to pay for stuff anymore, which was fine by me. But that didn't mean he wouldn't get me something like, say, a Pokémon, if I asked. Which I wouldn't. My stubbornness—and maybe a bit of my pride—wouldn't let me… Plus, it just felt plain rude to ask for something like that. "And what about your _fiancé_, missy?" There was an apprehensive little pause on her end before a scoff.

"Right. I doubt he has enough to buy _himself_ a Pokémon right now." I gave a light chuckle to ease the tension I could feel starting to build up. Her fiancé started his journey a year before us, after they'd both come to the agreement.

He longed to go out and start adventuring the world, but there was no doubt he wanted to wait for her. She wouldn't have it though. She wouldn't let him hold back a measly year to begin what he ached to go out and do, just for her. I know deep down she would have liked to have started out with him by her side, but she wasn't that selfish.

Michael wasn't exactly what one would call _responsible_ when it came to money. He liked to spend the cash right after getting it rather than save it up, usually on things that only lasted a short period of time. This irked my friend to no end, but there wasn't much she could do about it other than nag. This usually fired up an argument between the two but nothing ever really changed.

I couldn't really talk about blowing money too much since I liked to gamble an unnecessary amount away at Goldenrod's Game Corner nearly every week…everyone has a bad habit they need to break, right...? Especially with my current Pokémon-time-limit issue.

"I'm sure he'd scrounge up enough to get you one. Mike would buy you one just as quickly as Ryan would get one for me." She _hmph'd_ on the other end. She was just as stubborn as I was. There was a long pause between us, the only sound echoing through my earpiece being a few random clicks here and there."Well, shit." I grumbled after a minute, running out of ideas. I heard shifting on the other end and then a yawn. "What time is it there again?" I asked thoughtlessly.

"One-ish." That would be in the morning. With her being in Kanto and I in Johto, our time difference was a bit dramatic.

"Woman, go to bed, you have to work tomorrow." I paused. "Today, technically." I added as an afterthought.

"Meh. Don't you have to be at work in like an hour anyway?" I did.

I'd been on break since I usually worked a split-shift down at the Pokémon Daycare Center. I didn't feel like going back today, to be honest. I was tired from staying up so late looking eagerly at the Pokémon being sold locally and chatting with Blondie. I considered calling in and saying I felt too sick to go back, but my conscious quickly swatted the idea away.

The Daycare was owned by an elderly pair and in their old age, they could use all the help they could get. I couldn't just abandon them for the rest of the day, or the Pokémon for that matter.

I especially couldn't leave them in the faulty hands of my co-worker…but I really just wanted to hit the Game Corner.

"Gaaaah! I wish I didn't have to work. It's not like it's gonna make a difference anyway."

"Well, if you weren't so quick to blow most of it…"

"Oh, Arceus, here we go." I grumbled, eyes quickly glancing at the clock, looking for an escape. _Anything_ to avoid another lecture… "Uh-oh, gotta go get ready. Get some rest—I'll talk to ya later!"

"Bri—"

"Love ya, bye!" I quickly cut the connection on my Pokegear and let out a sigh of relief. I loved the girl like a sister, but I didn't feel like being lectured again. I knew I shouldn't be gambling all the time, especially with my particular need of money right now…but the place was too tempting.

Besides, it wasn't like I gambled _every_ day.

But, I would have to resist temptation for now. Taking out my earpiece and setting it on my desk, I switched off the wireless option on my Pokegear and looked to my messages just as a musical little ring sounded. Of course it was from Blondie…

'_BITCH._'

I laughed and started typing up a reply as I got up to start preparing for work. All I had to do was get changed back into my work clothes.

'_I love you too~!'_

I set the Pokegear off to the side so I could get dressed.

* * *

And that is chapter 1. Not really much going on, but quite a bit of 'blah-blah' info being shared. Maybe too much?

Anyway, thanks for reading and I'd love to get some feedback! I'm aiming to have the second chapter out soon!


	2. What We All Need

Chapter 2 – What We All Need

I had always had mixed feelings about the Daycare Center.

When I was younger, I used to stop by the place on errands, never really thinking much of it other than the fact that it was dirty and smelled funny, and had a really mean old lady who sat up front all the time and never moved.

I would always run in and get what my mom told me to get, and then leave quickly under the hard glare of the mean old lady.

I never thought I'd wind up working there.

It was smaller than what I'd remembered when I was younger, and under new management. The new woman who ran the place went by the name of Betty, and she had an older Granbull that liked to growl at whoever got too close. It was a lot cleaner than I remembered too.

Betty was an ill older woman, both in health and attitude. She was quick to snap on anyone she felt deserved it and her sarcasm or rude comments offended anyone who caught her attention in a negative way. She made sure to offend those who got on her bad side, and never cut them any slack in negativity. She liked to nag people constantly, especially my co-worker and I, and bitched when something wasn't done right or to her liking.

She wasn't all bad though, I'd eventually come to realize, and somehow, had developed a soft spot for me over the few months I'd been working there. It didn't mean she cut me any slack though, and I found myself despising the woman and cursing her name in my head every now and then.

On other days, I actually kind of liked her.

She was noble in her own way and respectable when she thought it necessary. She never made promises she didn't intend to keep and she was one person I'd trust with anything financial. She looked after my co-worker and I in an almost motherly way. And she truly cared for the Pokémon that came and went in the Daycare Center.

As for my co-worker, however, I wasn't so sure.

I glared at him as I approached the Center, rolling my eyes as I got closer. He was leaned against the building near the entrance on a smoke break, probably his twentieth of the day, his one Pokémon, an Arbok, coiled loosely around his legs and staring off into the distance, tongue flicking. It was probably looking for more Rattata…poor things rarely came around here anymore.

He saw me coming, but a glance was all he gave me before his cigarette was through and he tossed it carelessly to the side, reaching in his pocket for another and his lighter.

"Tony, shouldn't you be inside doing something useful?" I scolded in a half-joking tone, pausing before going through the doors. I got another half-lidded glance in my direction.

"My name's not Tony, Kid." I rolled my eyes at this.

"Okay, _Anthony_." I wasn't exactly sure what the issue was with me calling him Tony. Betty did. She always had, and he responded to it, so I'd always called him by it. In fact, all of our regulars called him that. I had seen a few of his friends call him Anthony, so it seemed like only people he was close to called him by his full name. He hadn't started correcting me until recently. He didn't make any sense. "Quit callin' me kid and go be useful."

"Look, I've been here all day. You're just lucky you get breaks. _Kid_." I couldn't really argue with that, so I just scoffed stubbornly and went inside.

I was greeted with a wide range of growls, yowls, and other strange noises. At the front counter sat Betty, as usual; though this time she was discussing something with a customer I'd never seen before. He was a younger man, probably in his early to mid-twenties. This wasn't too unusual, but we were mostly used to regulars.

What was unusual was that the man was screaming at Betty…and she was just sitting there, a hardened glare on her face, mouth set in a straight, tight line.

I noticed she had a hand firmly clamped around her Granbull's collar, the beast growling quite audibly at the man, straining ever so slightly against her owner's grip. I knew she was waiting for a chance to spring at him.

Maybe this was why Tony was outside, I realized.

Usually he would be right in the middle of the drama…unless he was the cause of it. _So maybe this is his fault_…I realized. It wouldn't surprise me.

I skirted around the scene, keeping my eyes glued to infuriated customer as I went over to the nervous Pokémon cut off from us by a gated pen. Interestingly enough, there were mixtures of emotions from the Pokémon inside. Some were scared, some were angry, and some were indifferent.

I petted a particularly nervous Aipom, the poor little guy clamping down on my hand with his paws and tail as soon as I got close. I murmured a few quiet consoling words.

Something then slammed into my face, a distinct buzzing ringing in my ears. With my free hand, I pried the insect off of my face and down to chest level, a young, frightened Yanma staring back up at me with teary eyes.

How long had this yelling been going on?

With both of my hands now preoccupied, I could only glance over my shoulder. The man had lowered his voice from a yell, and was instead whispering harsh, sharp words to my boss.

I wanted to know what the hell this was about.

Betty's grip must have slackened, if only slightly, but just enough for her Granbull to break free and spring at the man, just like I'd anticipated.

She was quickly pinned to the ground, however, never making it to the offending trainer, a threatening mouth of flames looming above the her face instead.

"Sasha—!"

I stiffened at Betty's worried cry and the sight of the large, orange and black colored fire-dog standing mercilessly over her pet. Sasha wasn't a trained Pokémon, she was a pet-she couldn't fight effectively if she wanted to.

I heard the man chuckle, and turned a glare in his direction. Betty and I were still, I unsure of what to do and Betty turning red with rage.

"Get your _goddamned mutt_ off my Sasha!" She snapped, on her feet and glaring hard.

"Or what, you hag? I want my money back, not that egg. You were supposed to watch my Arcanine, not have him reproduce!"

_Egg? _I blinked, glancing around the counter for the offending item, not seeing it.

It wasn't unusual for eggs to wind up in the Daycare Center. The owner _was_ a breeder, afterall, and most trainers actually requested it. But for one to get this angry…

"It's not our fault your Arcanine went and screwed one of the other Pokémon here!"

"You're supposed to _watch_ him!"

"You ain't gettin' no refund! You need to take this egg—"

"I don't want the damn thing! Arcanine, Fire Blas—"

"Acid Spray."

A ball of purple-colored liquid was shot at the Arcanine, coating its fur and making the canine backpedal off Sasha in surprise. Surprise was quickly replaced by fury, the Arcanine and owner both turning to find their offender.

It was one of the few times I was actually glad to see him.

Tony and his Arbok stood in the doorway, an annoyed expression on his face, the Arbok hissing mockingly at the Arcanine. Tony was legally considered a trainer, but from what I knew, Arbok was his only Pokémon at the time and he'd never really done anything with his trainer's license.

For some reason, he decided to stay working at the Daycare Center.

This was why my relief quickly turned to worry. Tony and his Arbok were outmatched, I was positive this trainer was more experienced than my co-worker was, and the sight of a full team of six attached to his belt was only confirmation.

I gently pried the two younger Pokémon from my arms and faced the scene. I was useless in this kind of situation without any Pokémon, but moved over to Betty and Sasha nonetheless, standing in-between them and our attackers. Why? I wasn't sure. I could at least be a barrier, I supposed.

This was going to get bad and fast…none of the Pokémon here were strong enough to help us out and there weren't any other people there at the time.

The Arbok hissed and snapped its jaws at the Arcanine, taunting it even though I was sure it knew it was out-leveled. The Arcanine snarled and flames began to leak from its mouth, powering up another fire attack.

I heard the man scoff and the Arcanine quickly dispersed the attack, leaning out of its offensive position and glancing to its trainer with a questioning glare.

"I'm not claiming that damned egg." He growled at Betty, looking to his Arcanine before promptly turning and heading for the doorway. His Arcanine followed behind, giving me and Betty a glare.

Tony and his Arbok moved out of their way, the Arbok snapping at the Arcanine's heels with a hissing laugh.

I sighed as soon as they were gone and looked to Betty. "All of that was over an _egg_?" Still ruffled, she continued to glare at the door for a moment, as if she was expecting him to come back. When she was sure he was gone, only then did she turn her attention to me.

"Yes." She answered shortly, reaching behind the counter and pulling out a medium sized brown-ish-orange colored egg.

"How do we know the Arcanine's the father…?" I murmured, moving over to the counter and placing a hand on the egg. It was warm to the touch.

"Tony saw it making a nest for the egg. They aren't gonna do that to some random egg." I nodded, shooting Tony a quick glance. He was leaning on the counter a few feet away, his Arbok curled around his shoulders, both listening. He caught my glance and I looked away.

Tony wasn't one above lying, so I had my suspicions. But I said nothing.

"Well, do we know who the mother is? Or what it's gonna hatch into?"

"Usually the egg only hatches into the mother's species, and none of the females here are claiming the egg…so we won't know what it is until it hatches."

"And the Arcanine just…abandoned it like that?" She shrugged.

"Some Pokémon don't have parental instincts. Especially when they're raised like that," she spat. "And that man certainly didn't want it, so the Arcanine didn't have much of a choice. But you saw how it acted. That man's poisoned its way of thinkin'." I could only nod in response, my eyes training on the egg.

Betty sighed and sat back down in her chair with a grunt, her hand falling to Sasha's head, scratching behind her ears. "And we don't have no where to put it. Incubator's all full, none of the females wanna look after it…I don't know what to do with it."

Tony took this as his signal to go find something useful to do, walking off and vanishing in the back of the building.

I looked back to the egg, both hands finding it and stroking the shell carefully, thinking.

I had always had the desire to take in strays. It was how we'd wound up with so many pets at home.

We had eleven Pokémon at home in total, all pets, and six people including me to add to the mix. It wasn't completely my fault though, the rest of my family were suckers for the strays and cute Pokémon too.

We'd never taken in an egg though. In fact, the only time I'd dealt with them outside of work was when our two Poochyena decided to have pups. And I didn't even really handle the eggs then since I was younger.

Working at the Daycare, however, had given me a bit more knowledge on the subject. Betty and Tony were actually very knowledgeable on the subject, and weren't hesitant in teaching me when I asked questions.

"I could…you know, take care of it." I muttered, brows furrowing at the warm egg.

"Your mama would kill you." I winced. She would. But did she really have to know?

"Nah," I said dismissively. "We're not gonna keep it, so what's the big deal? I'll just be…fostering it, until it hatches and can live here. And then we can adopt it out." As it usually went with the abandoned Pokémon we got. Yes, getting trainers who didn't want the eggs their Pokémon produced, unfortunately, wasn't an uncommon occurrence.

People getting that violent over no refund, however, was.

"It's up to you." I nodded.

It looked like I was about to become a foster mom.


	3. What We Can Get

**AN:** I was surprised to get a review! And a positive one, thank you for the feedback! ^-^  
Some of the ideas in this story are canon (such as some Psychic Pokemon being able to speak to humans telepathically) and some are ones I've tweaked to fit the world this story takes place in (such as Pokemon translators, which I've seen in other fanfics, and the whole economy aspect). The story will be a mix of canon ideas, my own, and ones casually seen in the fanfic universe. :)

It is possible for older siblings to give younger siblings Pokemon as a gift with them already registered, just as a parent would. It's simply a gift Pokemon. Unfortunately for our main character, she's the oldest (which I forgot to mention but will add it ^-^") and refuses to take a gift Pokemon from anyone due to her hardheaded-ness.

* * *

**Chapter 3**  
**What We Can Get**

* * *

The rest of the day was quite peaceful, and rather dull. Business hadn't been booming lately, which made for boring days and longer breaks for me.

This, unfortunately, also meant smaller paychecks.

Tony and his Arbok took the opportunity of having no customers to annoy me and distract me from my work. Which, sadly enough to admit, I didn't completely mind because of how entertaining it was. He only started getting on my nerves when he pestered me about the egg.

"Can't believe she's letting you have that thing," he grumbled, reaching into his pocket to fish for his pack of cigarettes, I assumed. He pulled out the near empty pack as I gave him a questioning look.

"Why?" If anything, Betty was gaining from letting me take the egg home. She didn't have to take care of it and it wouldn't be taking up any space in the Daycare Center. I hardly saw a problem.

"For free? She just handed you an egg we coulda sold."

"I'm not keeping it!" I snapped quickly, surprised that I hadn't even thought of keeping it for myself. "As soon as it hatches I'm gonna bring it back here and we'll adopt it out." Tony scoffed at me, an amused but challenging look on his face. He seemed to find my reaction funny, I noticed, the corners of his mouth tugging back into a smirk. This irritated me so I scowled at him.

"You get attached to everything in here, you think that when you actually get to raise one at home you'll give it up just like that?" My scowl began to turn into a frown as I processed this, so I turned back to a shelf of vitamins I'd been organizing to hide it from him. He continued to express his point as he stood up from his seat, twirling a cig around in his fingers and returning the pack to his pocket. "Plus, you've been trying to get a 'Mon since you started working here."

"Yea…so?" I questioned quietly, peeking over my shoulder at him. I realized what he was saying, but that thought hadn't crossed my mind before this conversation either.

"Your solution just got abandoned and tossed into your arms." He replied haughtily, backing out of the door and lighting up his cigarette.

* * *

I wasn't sure why I hadn't thought of Tony's accusation on my own. It was definitely possible—depending on Betty's reaction to the suggestion. She would be able to register the Pokémon for me since she was a breeder and could do the task without charge.

It was a matter of whether or not she _would_ do that for me for free, and if she'd even give me the Pokémon for keeps after it hatched.

I came to the conclusion that I'd have to ask, but by the time closing came around, I found myself too afraid to say anything about it. Tony had already left, so I couldn't send him a pleading look that would ask for him to casually let something slip about me just keeping the Pokémon. So my mouth stayed clamped shut as she explained some things I'd need to get done the next day, even though I urged myself to speak up and ask, but the words were stuck in the back of my throat.

So, with the egg hugged tightly to my chest, the warmth giving me a slight bit of comfort, I scuttled out of the Daycare Center as quickly as possible after she bid me goodnight.

Tony was outside, one of his friends having caught him on his way home, and I saw his eyes flicker in my direction. The defeated and stressed look on my face must've given me away, because I saw him smirk devilishly. My eyes narrowed on him and I hurried past the two, following Route 34 up to Goldenrod's inner city.

I realized then Tony would be no help. He'd rather watch me squirm for his own amusement. Well…there was the possibility of him helping if I made myself look pathetic and desperate enough…but I wasn't about to sink _that_ low. I was on my own, and though I'd never admit it aloud, Betty kind of intimidated me sometimes. A lot of people did. I was just naturally a coward, and tended to stay quiet around people I wasn't that close to. I always tried to hide my cowardice, however, but sometimes it couldn't be helped.

It was nearing seven o'clock when I began to reach the main city, the sun beginning to make its descent. It wouldn't get dark for another half hour or so, but the street lights had already begun to come on.

The Game Corner would come alive once night came too.

People came and played during the day, but it was really active and full of experienced regulars, gamblers, and virgin players once the sun went down. I was sad to admit I was a regular. Experienced, I couldn't say the same for.

Otherwise, I wouldn't be having the current issue I was having.

Sighing dramatically, I decided to try and get my mind off of it for the night. And off the Game Corner. I had to try to keep away from it for a while…

I pulled out my Pokégear, going to my contacts list and finding Ryan's name. I began typing up a message.

'_Hey, I got an egg. ^-^'_

Still holding the Pokégear in my hand, I wrapped both arms around the egg again, staring down at it and wondering what it'd hatch into. Betty said they usually hatched into their mother's species…but we didn't know who the mother was. What if it did hatch into a Growlithe though? It was a Pokémon I liked quite a lot—plus, it was a fire type.

I would really love to be able to have a Growlithe as my starter…it'd be perfect…but I felt so…grimy for attempting to plan keeping the Pokémon after it hatched for myself when I was merely asked to foster it. I really needed to say something to Betty the next day…

My Pokegear suddenly went off, a little musical tone playing for a second.

'_A…what?' _

I rolled my eyes at Ryan's message.

'_An egg from the Daycare Center. Someone abandoned it today and I offered to take care of it until it hatched. Kind of wanna keep it though…'_

I hit send and sighed. Damn Tony. Getting ideas in my head that I now couldn't get rid of. I passed by the Pokémon Center, Goldenrod's Department Store, and then the Game Corner with a disappointed look on my face, but I turned my head away and looked straight ahead, promising myself I'd stop by after my Pokémon predicament was over.

Another ring from my Pokegear.

'_Oh. Well, why don't you?'_

I frowned.

'_It's not that simple...'_

I returned my Pokegear to my pocket after that, not really expected a reply and passed underneath the Train Station's tracks. Finally, after passing the Gym and Flower Shop, I made it to my house. I paused before getting out my keys and going in. My mom would see the egg and get mad at me for sure. Maybe I could sneak it in…Laughing in my head, I dug in my pocket for my key, unlocking the door and slipping inside, my eyes darting around the living room as I re-locked the door.

Barking instantly greeted me, making me jump even though I was used to the greeting. Two Mightyena, a Poochyena, a thin looking Houndour, and a fluffy Lillipup ran up to me and started jumping at my legs. "Arceus—hello you guys! Geez!" I attempted to waddle through the pack, making my way to the kitchen. Why did I see no people?

Sure enough, a note was left for me on the fridge. It was from my mom.

_'Went to run errands with the kids. Dad is at a meeting for work and should be home before us. We'll eat out, so you can make something or go out. Money's on the counter, love you! _

_-Mommy'_

I glanced over to the counter, spotting a few bills of cash, shaking my head. I wished she'd stop trying to give me money. Ever since getting my job I'd felt guilty about taking any form of money from my parents.

I took the note off the fridge and folded it up, setting it next to the money my mom had left for me. She would be irritated that I wouldn't take it, but I refused.

Instead I started up the stairs with the egg, muttering to the pack behind me to stay downstairs. At the top of the stairs I was greeted by a Liepard, whom I scratched behind the ears as I passed. Behind one of my sister's door would be a Buneary, a Skitty behind the other's door, and behind my brother's a Kecleon. Finally, behind my own door would be a Plusle and Minun. And that completed our Pokémon family.

The two plus and minus Pokémon latched themselves to my legs once I came into the room and I nearly tripped, cussing and making sure I kept my grip on the egg. "Guys—cut it out—" And of course, my Pokegear went off right then as well. Waddling over to the bed with the two still attached to my legs, I pulled out my Pokegear as I plopped down onto the bed.

I didn't expect Tony to be texting me.

'_When r u gonna say something?'_

I narrowed my eyes at the message, having half the mind to not reply. But I was too cocky not to.

'_Tomorrow.'_ I challenged.

'_Haha, right.'_ I growled under my breath.

'_Shuddup. Get there on time tomorrow and you'll see for yourself.' _

All I got in response was an emoticon of a smiley face sticking its tongue out mockingly at me. And the task of talking to Betty about keeping the Pokémon tomorrow.

It really shouldn't be this big of a deal, I figured. If she said no, she said no and I was faced with the same situation I'd already been trying to deal with. It wasn't as though things would get worse. But if I got attached to the egg and whatever hatched out of it, then it would be hard to try and adopt it out…But, as Tony said, I got attached to just about everything in the Daycare Center, but I wondered if this would be a harder loss…

Shaking my head, my attention was brought to the curious faces of my Plusle and Minun, who'd discovered the egg and were poking at it gently. "Ronald, Petunia, we're gonna be taking care of this egg for a while, okay?" They blinked at me, then at the egg before scrambling up the bed and hopping up and down beside me, seemingly excited about the idea of fostering the unborn Pokémon inside.

One of my friends had named the two, the Minun Petunia when she'd first arrived, and then the Plusle Ronald when he'd come shortly after. I always asked her for name ideas since I was horrible at coming up with them on my own. Her name choices were interesting and amusing though, so I was happy enough to let her choose in my place. Plus, the Pokémon seemed to like their names well enough.

My stomach grumbled at me, causing Ronald and Petunia to burst into giggles, reminding me I hadn't eaten since breakfast. I skipped lunch in my 'searching for a Pokémon online' fiasco. Looking down at the egg, I figured I had to figure out where to put it for the night and times when I couldn't carry it around with me.

Setting it on the bed against my pillows, I moved over to my closet to get out some extra blankets, my Plusle and Minun sitting on either side of the egg, talking amongst one another about it and occasionally looking to see what I was doing. I started making a makeshift nest on my desk for the egg, making sure it was a few layers thick and using a soft blanket made out of Swablu cotton fluff. I retrieved the egg and set it in the nest, pulling the blanket around it cozily. Standing back to observe it and make sure it was good enough in my opinion, I finally left the room, leaving Petunia and Ronald in charge of watching the egg while I was gone.

I was surrounded by the pack again when I got downstairs and decided to feed everyone before myself. The pack was the first to get their dinner to keep them off my tail, then the felines, and finally the remaining four. I heated something up in the microwave for dinner and traveled back upstairs once done, changing into pajamas. I flopped into my bed and staring at the egg for a bit before pulling out my Pokegear and playing with some apps I'd downloaded onto it.

I heard my dad come home a little bit later, and then the rest of my family, but eventually fell asleep before any of them could get to me.

I dreamed about the egg hatching and Betty snatching it from me, denying me my request and Tony snickering in the background.

* * *

**AN:** So, the story should start to pick up a bit in the next chapter, and even more characters are going to get introduced. What do you think of that large Pokémon family? What about Tony's role and Ryan's character?

Will Betty let her keep the egg? Will she even summon up enough courage to ask?


End file.
